Peisistratus Tyranus
Translating to "seeing place" in English, this Greek word is the origin of the English word "theatre."
Theatron
Written by famous Greek philosopher, Aristotle, this work is viewed as the world's first literary criticism.
Poetics
After 3 days of tragedy, the Greeks saw it fit to lift everyone's spirits with this early form of farce.
Satyr Play
A bragging soldier type, this stock character developed by Plautus could be viewed as a prototype for popular Disney villain Gaston.
Miles Gloriosos
Euripides adapted this story from the Odyssey, remaining our only extant Satyr play.
Cyclops (Euripides)
This Greek god represented everything that gives the common man reprieve from the drudgery of everyday life.
Dionysus
Of the six elements of Tragedy, (Diction, Song, Spectacle, Plot, Character, and Theme), Aristotle viewed this element to be the most important.
Plot
Infamous for dirty jokes, relentless mocking of political figures and customs, and being sued at least once for unpatriotic behavior, he is our only extant Greek comic playwright.
Aristophanes
He was the first professional dramatist, responsible for developing stock plots and stock characters for maximum entertainment.
Plautus
Flanking either side of the proskenion and leading toward the orchestra, the chorus would enter from these entrances.
Paradoi
Landing within the Ritualism theory of origin, these special hymns were written and performed by a chorus using antiphonal singing.
Dithyrambs
Often confused with the tragic flaw of hubris, this important element of plot structure contains the flawed actions that ultimately lead to the tragic hero's downfall.
Hamartia
Peloponnesian War
Stock plots gave way to what is known as "pressure comedy" which can be viewed as the prototype for this modern TV genre.
Sitcom
An ancient producer of Greek theatre, hiring the playwright, actors, flute player, and providing funding for the masks/costumes/effects for a given production.
Choregos
Place in which the actors would change masks and costumes between scenes.
Skene
Famous for having "swollen feet," this tragic hero is best remembered as representing the idea of a "self-fulfilling prophecy."
Oedipus
This early comedy made use of composite characters representing different city-states and found humor in how difficult it is to refrain from sexual activity.
The first playwright of color, he wrote in a style that was more sophisticated with fewer plot holes and deeper ironies, giving us the idea of moral ambiguity as seen in his play Adelpho (The Brothers).
Terence
Aristotle's theatrical theory of origin.
Memetic Impulse
Seen as a source of Athenian pride and power, this festival lasted 5 days and welcomed 17,000 spectators including foreign dignitaries.
City Dionysus
This dramatic device is employed when the audience knows something that the characters do not.
Tragic Irony
Komoidia, meaning "party song," was developed at this festival, taking its name from the Greek word "lenos" meaning "wine press."
The Lenea
Written in 1st century BCE, Horace wrote this work advising the playwright to "know your audience" and for actors to exercise decorum.
Ars Poetica
This element of Aristotle's tragic plot structure is often brought about by the arrival of a messenger.
Peripeteia
A dynamic society with a humanistic view of reality, Ancient Greek thought was dominated by the tension between human rationality and unpredictability, giving way for this tragic theme.
Fate vs. Freewill
This element of Aristotle's tragic plot structure known as "recognition" arrives only once it is too late for anything to be saved.
Anagnorisis
Theatrical device in which the chorus or a single character addresses the audience directly.
Parabisis
A famous Roman play in which a father returns home after years away on business, only to find his house has been supposedly haunted by a ghost in his absence.
Mostellaria
The three stock characters developed by Plautus which are seen as having lower status.
Meretrix, Servus, Parasite